Where is the pleasure in that?

10000 up: A Tweet Odyssey

Mon, 27 May 2013 11:29:19 +0100

Ten Thousand Tweets. Wow.

When I first joined Twitter in 2009, I had little idea of the impact it would have on my life. It was, then, the emerging rival social network to Facebook which I would be damned if I joined…

I never realised I would have 10000 things to ‘Tweet’ about in a little over four years. But being an open network that has continually attracted more cerebral, open-minded and (dare I say it) interesting people than FB cannot help but stimulate conversation. Which is what social is all about in the end.

From the humble beginnings of being part of a Twitter-driven radio play collective, to ramblings about work, sport and holidays, right through to the race for tickets to London 2012, and subsequently covering the Games themselves… This network has been good to me. It’s been the journal I never felt brave enough to start. And it has improved many areas of my existence.

No one really knows what will happen to Twitter, especially in 5-10 years time. But it is still - in my opinion - one of the few things that actually resembles an information superhighway, which is what that Internet is meant to be.

I joined Facebook a couple of years ago, and while it’s not as terrifying as anticipated it’s not Twitter. It is the backwater town to Twitter’s heaving metropolis.

My final word is to my followers. Past, present and future. Some I know personally, professionally or by relation(!). But many of you I’ve never met, and perhaps never will. Yet your company and interaction makes this whole damn enterprise that much more enjoyable. And so for that, and suffering me - I thank you.

To the next ten thousand. Wow.

27 May 2013.

Third time here, finally get a window seat… (at Dinner By...

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:34:39 +0100

Third time here, finally get a window seat… (at Dinner By Heston Blumenthal)

Last day in #HK. And so for breakfast… (at...

Tue, 14 May 2013 06:12:37 +0100

Last day in #HK. And so for breakfast… (at BO-LO’GNE Café 博洛尼亞)

The 2014 ticket race - rapid response

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:29:59 +0100

No sooner had the last spectator left the Olympic Park in 2012 than minds and hearts were focused on what could be expected from Glasgow, the hosts of the next Commonwealth Games in a little over a year.

If the ticket demand for the London 2012 Olympic Games showed anything it’s that the British population are at ease in their new found role as cerebral sports nuts. It indicates that the Glasgow Games could smash all Commonwealth records with a strong domestic attendance.

Today, the Glasgow 2014 organisers revealed the provisional schedule of events along with guidelines on the ticket buying process. Ominously for those well versed in the 2012 experience, Ticketmaster have again been appointed the official reseller for the UK. But, the news gets better…

The Headlines

-Around 1 million tickets are up for sale
-All tickets for heats/prelim rounds will start at £15
-The highest price event ticket will be ringside seats for the Boxing (£120)
-Ceremonies tickets will start at £30 (Closing) and go up to £250 (Opening)
-Like the London 2012 process, Glasgow 2014 will invite applicants to apply through a ballot-style application. The ballot opens 19 August for 4 weeks
-No payment provider sponsor, so Visa and MasterCard are accepted
-Money only taken once confirmation of allocation of tickets has been received

Pointers from Delhi 2010

Delhi (the hosts of the last Commonwealth Games in 2010) is best viewed with a level of caution as it’s well documented that ticket sales were very poor. While it seems unlikely Glasgow will have similar issues, there is an unknown whether the afterglow of the London Olympics will translate into a boon for our Scottish cousins. So while they may look to adopt a more ticket office driven approach as that used in 2010, online will be the way forward.

One of the major loopholes unearthed by many canny ticket buyers in the run-up to 2012 was the ATR (aka Authorised Ticket Reseller) network, that meant that punters could buy legally from Resellers around the world. In Delhi 2010 a reseller network did exist, and old favourites like Kingdom Sports and Sportsworld all held strong court as the official reseller for a large number of participating Commonwealth nations.

Of course with ATRs come various national requirements and demands, so beware any artificial hopes of filling your boots from the Tuvalu reseller - unless you’re a passport holder!

Schedule: early expectations

17 sports, 14 venues, 11 days - it’s not chance that makes the Commonwealth Games the third largest multi-sport event in the world. Along with the ticketing announcement today, came the release of the provisional event schedule. A lot of colour still needs to be filled in in terms of days and exact events, but again using London 2012 and Delhi 2010 there are a few clues to be aware of:

27 July, which (in 2014) will be the two-year anniversary of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony is shaping-up to be billed ‘Super Sunday’ with the last day of the Track Cycling, coupled with the finals of the Rugby Sevens and the start of the Athletics. Swimming and Shooting will also have medal sessions on that day. And organisers will hope the streets will be packed as the Marathon events are also staged.

31 July could provide Glasgow’s own ‘Thriller Thursday’ with the Road Events races taking place in the city; the business end of the Athletics schedule should see some high-profile events on this day while Artistic Gymnastics, Weightlifting, Wrestling and Lawn Bowls all look to have finals on the day.

While the bulk of events are ticketed, the Marathon and Road Events look to be free for all spectators.

Predictions..!

-Expect Usain Bolt to break his Commonwealth Games duck representing Jamaica, and Athletics tickets to be in highest demand
-With what would be one year to the World Cup (and two years to Rio 2016), expect the Rugby Sevens to be fiercely contested and so one of the high demand sports of the games
-Track Cycling tickets, even with Sir Chris Hoy’s retirement, will still be a precious commodity
-Strong home nation presence should mean the Triathlon, Netball and Squash are dark horses for ticket demand

A full schedule ahead of the application process should be in circulation by late June. For now, any would-be ticket hunters should start swotting up!

Paris, California, Tokyo, and now… #HK | #Disney (at Hong...

Mon, 13 May 2013 05:22:31 +0100

Paris, California, Tokyo, and now… #HK | #Disney (at Hong Kong Disneyland 香港迪士尼樂園)

#London… (at Paramount)

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:24:09 +0100

#London… (at Paramount)

Nice that the BBC are allowing their videos to be embedded...

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:48:00 +0000

Nice that the BBC are allowing their videos to be embedded externally - here’s a vignette from my current fave ‘Blandings’…

History, and all that… With @HJamesCollin &...

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 01:27:11 +0000

History, and all that… With @HJamesCollin & @Piers_Investis | #NYC | #Investis (at New York Stock Exchange)

It’s been a proud kinda day… #NYC | #Investis (at...

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:28:47 +0000

It’s been a proud kinda day… #NYC | #Investis (at New York Stock Exchange)

To be continued… (at New York Stock Exchange)

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 03:54:36 +0000

To be continued… (at New York Stock Exchange)

Hello New York… #Knicks | #MSG | #NBA | (at Madison...

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:54:56 +0000

Hello New York… #Knicks | #MSG | #NBA | (at Madison Square Garden)

The top 5 commercials for Super Bowl XLVII

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 23:38:57 +0000

There is a game being played in America tonight. No, not the one involving the Ravens and 49ers. It’s between global brands and properties, as the ad breaks during the Super Bowl will see millions tune-in to see who made the cut - and what they have to sell, and say.

It is no secret that a 30 second spot during America’s Game can set advertisers back millions of dollars before a single frame has been shot. And in the age of social media and mobile consumption, there is almost a Hollywood-style approach to marketing these adverts, with trailers running online weeks before the main event.

On average around 70 adverts screen over the course of the live broadcast in the US. Here is a prediction of what will be the top 5 we’ll be talking about on Monday.

1) Mercedes Benz

The German car giants have trailed their Game Day offering for several weeks now. The new CLA will be the proverbial star, but supermodel Kate Upton has featured heavily in the buzz for the advert, which will also star Willem Dafoe and Usher.

2) Budweiser

Bud will be opening the game breaks with a spot for a new beer, but the buzz is for what is bound to be a tear-jerking advert featuring a newborn Clydesdale foal and its stable hand. Bud have long advertised with horses, but this is expected to get a strong reaction from viewers.

3) Volkswagen

Another German car giant, VW still hold cumulated viewing records for their Super Bowl advert in 2011. Last year they had audiences in raptures, riffing on dogs and Star Wars. This year’s effort is eagerly awaited, not least due to some of negative press received around stereotypes of Jamaicans.

4) Paramount Farms

This is being billed as either Psy’s big break in America, or the very last hurrah for Gangnam Style. Little is known about the spot beyond the fact that the South Korean star will be promoting Paramount’s Wonderful Pistachios brand, and may well engage in some of his famous horseplay.

5) Fiat

Another car giant, Fiat will hope to trade on Latin stereotypes after the success of last year’s effort promoting the 500. Like several advertisers, they are crowd-sourcing to choose the eventual spot.

Written originally for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.

All Big, and nothing Easy in this Super Bowl

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 23:32:00 +0000

There are many standout lines in Dave Eggers’ seminal novel Zeitoun, which tells a tale in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One that rises higher than most, on the subject of New Orleans, goes like this… “Yes, a dark time passed over this land, but now there is something like light.” Tonight, as Super Bowl XLVII arrives in The Big Easy, the light will shine brightest in Louisiana’s greatest city.

Moreover the darkness of failure will lift for one of the teams contesting the famous Lombardi trophy.

The San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens will square-off in what is being billed as one of the most open - and physical - Super Bowls that have been contested in recent years. In the States, the press have been fixated on two key storylines that may yet shape the destiny of the game. And while Ray Lewis’ unstoppable drive to take the Ravens to the biggest game in his final season grapples with Jim and John Harbaugh being the first brothers to face-off as head coaches in a final, the sixty minutes will be decided by plenty of intangibles.

There will be little to choose between the sides at kick-off, though the younger Jim’s 49ers were well fancied to make the Super Bowl at the season’s start. The Californians had played an excellent brand of defensive football last season, which saw them fall perilously short in the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants. This season, the difference has been made thanks in no small part to the emergence of rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who unseated regular starter Alex Smith through injury before making the position his own playing an exceptional brand of read option, running attack-play that compliments Harbaugh’s ‘nutty professor’ style of play calling.

As for the Ravens, it was touch-and-go if they would make the postseason. After soaring to a 9-2 season at the end of November, they proceeded to lose four of their last five. This was attributed to a combination of inconsistency from QB Joe Flacco, and the loss through injury of Lewis. John Harbaugh’s side finished 10-6 that was enough to take the AFC North - but few fancied them to go deep. That is until Lewis declared his availability in what would be his “last ride” as an NFL player after seventeen years. In a move that galvanised his team, the Ravens proved unstoppable beating the Colts, the conference-favourite Broncos and long-time rival Patriots. The ride for the men in purple has been emotional, attritional and - some might say - destined.

This Super Bowl will be contested on a knife-edge. Defense may lead the way, as both teams are key proponents of ground-and-pound play that will make the running game difficult for the offenses. This will make both sides evaluate their passing game more strongly. Baltimore’s Flacco perhaps carries the hotter hand, having outplayed New England’s Tom Brady in the AFC Championship game (now two years on the trot) - this, having gone to Peyton Manning’s house in Denver and seen him off with clutch quarterback play in the Divisional playoffs.

Yet Kaepernick is San Fran’s ace in the hole. He drew huge attention to himself defeating Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers with an incredible game of passing and rushing. He is young and susceptible to mistakes but possesses such an explosive attacking gene, the Ravens could be in huge trouble early if they don’t neutralise him and his key weapons: Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree.

The Superdome in NOLA will be treated to a show regardless. Both these teams, who have been away from the Super Bowl conversation for many years, will enjoy the experience but won’t lose sight of the prize. Experts often say the NFL is a ‘win-now’ league, and that successful teams have a limited window to maximise success. For this reason, the Ray Lewis factor may just see the Ravens over the line. So many are willing him to victory in what will be his last ever game. But the 49ers have finesse, power and hunger on their side; the Ravens have not played a team like them all season. Both Harbaughs will be aware of this and the elder John can serve as a fine pragmatist in both overcoming his brother, and getting Lewis his fairytale ending.

Game verdict:

The Baltimore Ravens will play like men possessed, but Kaepernick and his offense will have too much across the game. Expect Flacco to struggle by comparison, as the 49ers go after him and trusted running back Ray Rice. Overall, a tight contest but the nineteen-year wait ends for the Candlestick Park faithful. Ravens 22, 49ers 31.

MVP:

San Francisco’s Frank Gore.

Written originally for the Yahoo! Contributor Network

Was left rather smitten by this legacy #London2012 outdoor gym...

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:59:31 +0000

Was left rather smitten by this legacy #London2012 outdoor gym supplied by @AdidasUK… (at Old Deer Park)

The ultimate nightcap… #Icebar | #Sweden | #Jukkasjärvi ...

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 23:21:21 +0000

The ultimate nightcap… #Icebar | #Sweden | #Jukkasjärvi (at Icebar Jukkasjärvi)

Checking-in… #Sweden | #NorthernLights | #Jukkasjärvi (at...

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 12:44:50 +0000

Checking-in… #Sweden | #NorthernLights | #Jukkasjärvi (at ICEHOTEL Jukkasjärvi)

This is Sami country… #Sweden | #Lapland | #NorthernLights...

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:31:29 +0000

This is Sami country… #Sweden | #Lapland | #NorthernLights (at Rensjön 89)

#NorthernLights - The iPhone played nicely a touch more. What a...

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 23:25:54 +0000

#NorthernLights - The iPhone played nicely a touch more. What a night. What a show… #Abisko | #Sweden (at Abisko Mountain Lodge)

Am suffering iPhone fail, but… we’ve got a lightshow...

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 20:31:01 +0000

Am suffering iPhone fail, but… we’ve got a lightshow in #Abisko..! #NorthernLights | #Sweden (at Abisko Mountain Lodge)

Lovely bit of Rudolph… #Abisko | #Sweden |...

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:45:16 +0000

Lovely bit of Rudolph… #Abisko | #Sweden | #NorthernLights (at Abisko Mountain Lodge)